Sometimes I think that a teacher is asked to be unhuman. She must be happy and excited 98% of the time, multi-tasking, concerned about everyone but herself, and, possibly hardest of all, she must learn to leave all personal (or sometimes professional) issues outside the door. Whether it's the death of a family member, the fact that she broke up with her boyfriend the night before, a rumor spreading denying her professional credability, nothing must effect her teaching.
Remembering when I was the age of my own students, I always thought that the teachers lived at school. I imagined Mr. Dickens putting the desks together to form a sort of bed, Mrs. Sulis tucking herself away into the cabinet for the night, etc. In a way, that's really who we are. I am Miss Sells, here for the twenty-five learners who grace my classroom with their presence five days a week. Since my personal struggles and dilemmas are not allowed to even enter my mind between 8:00 and 4:00, I might as well become the teacher who sleeps on her desk. It's often shocking when I realize there are people and situations outside of school. I spend so much energy on the school part, I forget that life is supposed to be more than that.
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2 comments:
Praying for you...let me know if you need anything. I can't say I understand completely what it must be like to be presented with 25 fresh-faced children and have to lay aside yourself, but I know it must be so difficult. You'r ein my thoughts and prayers. Love you!
Meganace
Yes! I am SuperTeacher, see me smile!
Sometimes I wonder why teachers keep on keeping on, but they all say the same thing "this wears me out, but I love it." LOVE.
I hope soon I can put my own love to the test with a couple dozen little kidlets... I hope, hope, hope.
Here's to a new year!
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